I’ll start off by mentioning this: I don’t like to cram for big tests. When I took the ACT and SAT, I barely studied at all, much less the night before. However, when the realization that the countdown to my AP Calculus exam was only down to two days hit me, and I frantically started going through all the past FRQs I could find, I began to panic. At the time, I didn’t feel I was ready, and looking back, I definitely wasn’t. Two months without working out the math-y side of my brain every day really took a toll on my calculus knowledge; I could barely recall what an integral was. Just as I was weighing my dismal options of watching 20-plus hours of the CollegeBoard’s YouTube channel, reading my textbook front-to-back, or winging the whole thing, I got an email. It was from “Amanda from Fiveable,” who was emailing to tell me that there would be a five-hour cram session for my exam the next evening for a cost of $5. “What do I have to lose?” I thought to myself. Obviously, other than the upfront price of $5, I really had nothing to do but gain from the livestream.
So, I bought a “pass,” and the next day at 4 p.m. I headed to the livestream. The first couple of hours were student-led, meaning past successful test-takers were reviewing some common concepts and problems. To be honest, I literally took a walk during this part—it seemed to be disorganized and riddled with technical difficulties. So, I came back after dinner just in time for Jamil to take over. He was the main reason I signed up—described as a calculus teacher and longtime AP grader with the CollegeBoard, he was supposed to give do’s and dont’s and review expected test material. This section didn’t disappoint.
In a concise and organized screen-share, he went over common mistakes to avoid and specific details to include. Then, sharing from his iPad Pro, he used the last two hours to go over problem types he expected the exam to cover (of course, he constantly specified he wasn’t dealing inside information, merely his expert opinion). I can’t tell if the test was generally predictable or if he should become a stock trader, or a combination of the two, but his advice was very helpful.
I’d also like to express my appreciation of his pastel-ish color schemes and handwriting. No one can match Sal from Khan Academy in digital handwriting, but the aesthetics of the session were generally very pleasing.
Overall, I would highly recommend these Fiveable cram sessions. I have only seen the Calculus version, but I anticipate signing up for the World History session next week. They do cost $5, but if it can really help you get a better score on an AP exam, it may very well save you thousands of dollars in tuition later down the line.
Screenshot of available cram sessions from app.fiveable.me
